Compressor



Nov. 26, 1968 A. J. WANNER led April 28, 1967 INVENTOR. ALBERT J WANNER a 6 2 mm aw n2 Ma/n ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,412,930 COMPRESSOR Albert J. Wanner, 86 Wise St., Akron, Ohio 44304 Filed Apr. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 634,516 4 Claims. (01. 230 144 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compressor having an annular housing characterized by a plurality of arcuate pistons which are slidably received in an annular piston receiving chamber in the housing. Each piston is operatively connected by pivotal link arms to circumferentially spaced points of a flange mounted in eccentric relationship to the annular housing whereby rotation of said flange causes adjacent ends of the pistons to vary in circumferential spacing relationship to achieve compressive action.

This invention relates to an improved compressor apparatus wherein rotary motion of arcuately shaped pistons is utilized to achieve compressive action. Basically the invention is comprised of an annular housing having an annular piston receiving chamber, a central aperture, and an annular slot connecting the chamber with the aperture. A plurality of arcuate pistons are slid-ably received in the piston receiving chamber, and sealing strips secured to each piston and extending in a trailing direction therefrom are utilized to seal the areas between adjacent ends of the pistons from the central aperture. A drive shaft extends eccentrically into the central aperture of the housing and a circular flange is secured thereto. The novel compressive "action of the apparatus is achieved by utilizing a plurality of link means which are pivotally connected to each piston and extend through the annular slot and are pivotally connected to circumferentially spaced portions of the flange. Due to the eccentric mounting of the drive shaft, rotation thereof causes adjacent ends of the pistons to be moved away from and then toward each other to achieve compressive action.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a transversely directed vertical section of a preferred embodiment of the compressor apparatus of the invention taken on line II of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a partially broken-away longitudinally directed vertical section of the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 1 taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

The numeral generally illustrates the improved compressor apparatus of the invention. This comprises a stationary, annular outer housing 12 having a fluid-tight cover plate 14 removably secured in place with screw means not shown. Integral with the housing 12 is a hub 13 and a shallow cup 15.

As illustrated, the housing 12 and cover plate 14 define an annular piston receiving chamber 16 and a central aperture 18 in the housing of the compressor 10. The piston receiving chamber 16 and the central aperture 18 of the compressor are connected by an annular slot 20 formed between opposed flanges 22 and 24 of the housing 12 and plate 14, respectively.

A plurality of arcuate pistons 26, substantially square in cross-section, are slidably received within the piston receiving chamber 16 of the compressor 10. As is best illustrated by FIG. 1, the pistons 26 create a plurality of smaller chambers between adjacent ends thereof. For example, referring to FIG. 1, three chambers 28a, 28b, and 280 are formed between the adjacent ends of the pistons 26. The flanges 22 and 24 hold the pistons against displacement in a radially inward direction.

In order to seal the chambers 28 from the central aperture 18 it is necessary to provide a sealing strip generally indicated by the numeral 30 which is secured to each piston as by pin means 32 and which strip extends from the trailing end thereof and seats in slot to seal the respective chambers 28 from the central aperture 18. Pin means 32 somewhat loosely tie each sealing strip to its piston to allow for alignment by the strip in slot 20 and shoulders 20a during sealing. The sealing strip 30 is preferably comprised of an inner, arcuate metal ring 34 having integral side flanges 36. The metal ring 34 may be of cast iron having a graphite content for lubricating purposes. As illustrated by FIG. 2, the sealing strips 30 slidably ride in slot 20 in order to seal chambers 28 from the central aperture 18 as the pistons are rotated. Note that the flanges 36, slidably engage with shoulders 20a formed at the edges of the slot 20. An eflective seal is thus provided.

In order to achieve rotation of the pistons 26, a drive shaft 38 extends in journalled relation through hub 13 into the central aperture 18 of the housing of the compressor 10, and a flange, received in journalled relation in cup 15, is secured to the shaft for rotation therewith. As is best illustrated in FIG. 1, the shaft 38 and the flange plate 40 are positioned in eccentric relationship to the central aperture 18 and to the annular housing of the compressor 10. Operative connection of each piston 26 to the flange plate 40 is achieved by providing a plurality of connecting rods or link arms 42 each of which is pivotally connected as by pivot pin 44 to a respective piston 26 and which extend through the slot 20 to pivotally connect as by a pivot pin 46 to circumferentially spaced portions of the flange 40.

Due to the fact that the shaft 38 and flange 40 are eccentrically mounted with relationship to the annular housing of the compressor 10, as the flange 40 is rotated in the direction of arrow 48 .and the pistons are caused to rotate in the direction of arrow 50, adjacent ends of the pistons 26 are caused tobe moved first away from and then toward each other to first draw in and then compress the gas within the chambers 28. For example, referring to FIG. 1, as the pistons 26 rotate through the portion of their are furthest from drive shaft 38, the adjacent ends of the pistons 26 will be at their most distant point from each other whereby chamber 28a is relatively large. The wall of the annular outer housing 12 is provided with an inlet port 52 which continues as a groove 53 the distance shown on the inside of the housing 12 to allow gas input into the housing for compressive action. As the pistons 26 rotate through the portion of their are closest to drive shaft 38, the adjacent ends of the pistons 26 move toward each other due to the eccentric mounting of the parts so that, for example, chamber 28b is substantially smaller than chamber 28a and chamber 280 is substantially smaller than chamber 28b. Due to the fact that the sealing strips 30 seal the chambers 28a from the central aperture 18, as the adjacent ends of the pistons 26 move toward each other as they travel through the portion of their arc closest to drive shaft 38, the air or gas within the chambers 28 is materially compressed. An outlet port 54 which continues as a groove 55 on the inside of the housing 12 is provided in the wall of the annular outer housing 12 at the point shown, so that the compressed air or other gas between adjacent ends of the pistons defining chamber 280 is discharged from the housing.

The compressor of the invention can be utilized to compress substantially any compressible fluid, can be run at a variety of speeds with high efliciencies, and is relatively low in initial and maintenance costs.

While in accordance with the patent statutes only one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or 3 thereby, but that the inventive scope is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A compressor comprising a stationary annular housing having an annular piston receiving chamber, a central aperture, and an annular slot connecting the chamber with the aperture,

a plurality of arcuate pistons slidably received in the piston receiving chamber to define smaller chambers between adjacent ends of the pistons,

a sealing strip secured to each piston and extending from the trailing end thereof to seal the chamber between adjacent ends of the pistons,

a drive shaft extending eccentrically into the central aperture of the housing,

a flange secured to said drive shaft,

link means pivotally connected to each piston and extending through said slot to operatively connect each piston to a circumferentially spaced portion of said flange, and

an outlet port in the housing to allow the gas compressed between adjacent ends of the pistons to be discharged, and an inlet port to allow gas to be drawn into the housing for compressive action.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the housing has circular rib means allowing the pistons to rotate in the housing but holding the pistons against radially inward displacement.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said sealing strips are comprised of an inner substantially flat, arcuate metal ring lying between the sides of the slot, and :an outer flat flexible sealing band of slightly greater width than the ring and having edges sliding in sealing relation with shoulders formed in the sides of the slot to seal the chambers between the ends of the pistons from said central aperture as the pistons are rotated.

4-. The combination according to claim 1 wherein a hub integral with said housing has said drive shaft extending in journalled relation therethrough and a shallow cup integral with said housing receives in journalled relation said flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,583 10/1940 Bancroft 103129 988,319 4/1911 Edqvist 123-11 1,308,896 7/1919 Farnham 123-11 1,353,374 9/1920 Arrighi 123l1 1,628,162 5/ 1927 Lehnert 123--11 1,905,847 4/1933 Galyean 12311 2,840,058 6/ 1958 Stringer 12311 FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

WILBUR J. GOODLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

